


Somewhere Only We Know

by Shadow_Side



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2013-12-12
Packaged: 2018-01-04 11:04:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1080273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Side/pseuds/Shadow_Side
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos wants to do tests on the trees again… but it's possible he has something different in mind this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somewhere Only We Know

**Author's Note:**

> This one is entirely the result of the wholly inappropriate squeaking noise I made the first time I listened to _First Date_ and got to the bit about the tests on the trees. Having a fandom with glorious canon slash does not negate the effect of one's slash goggles!

Late afternoon sunlight is playing gently over Mission Grove Park.

It's been a pleasantly quiet and uneventful day… or so it seems on the outside. The world ticks on as it ever does – as it ever can, given the possible non-reality of time – and it's odd, walking along the winding gravel paths of the park and knowing that almost no one else realises what an amazing day today is.

This is now the third time in as many weeks that Cecil hasn't woken up in his own apartment, and it's starting to feel like something that might happen more often from now on. Instead, he woke to find Carlos staring happily over at him, bathed in the early morning glow filtering through his bedroom curtains, and Cecil still can't quite believe how amazingly, amazingly lucky he is.

It's a Saturday, so with no work to think about – and no unexpected scientific calamities to distract Carlos – the two of them have been making the most of this welcome, end-of-week lull.

Eventually – because you really can't stay in all day, especially when it's so lovely outside – they head off together. They run a couple of errands, make a dinner reservation, and before either of them knows it they're walking slowly through Mission Grove Park, hand in hand.

The sun plays lazily over the short grass, as it ripples in the lightest of breezes. There's a fair few people about, though not as many as usual – which Cecil guesses is because of the incident last week involving all the park benches… and, come to think of it, it's probably best they stay away from those, just in case. The Secret Police have been insisting for days that everything is _fine_ now, but Carlos certainly isn't convinced… and Cecil knows who he trusts more.

He still trusts the Secret Police of course. Of _course_. It's just that he trusts his brilliant scientist boyfriend that little bit extra.

_His brilliant scientist boyfriend_. He is never going to get over how wonderful that sounds.

"You're oddly quiet," Carlos says, making Cecil glance sideways at him, realising he's been a little lost in his own thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, sorry. My mind was wandering."

Carlos grins a little. "Anything I should know about?"

"Mostly I was thinking how I'm the luckiest man in the world. Because I have you."

This makes Carlos lean in closer, gripping Cecil's hand tight and resting his head on the other man's shoulder for a moment, as they walk. "I was thinking about our first date," he replies, after a pause. "I was so nervous that night. I'd been waiting for so long, and to have it finally happen…"

He trails off, but Cecil just smiles. "I know what you mean," he says. And he really, really does.

"And you remember when I dragged you off to do tests on the trees?" Carlos goes on, with a slightly guilty laugh. "Mostly I just wanted to make sure the trees round here weren't like the ones over in the Whispering Forest… though I checked out some other things at the same time."

He gives an almost wistful glance off to the side, towards the small copse of trees that line the nearest edge of the park. "It was so nice in there…" he adds. "So… quiet and secluded. Calming." A little pause. "Private."

Carlos pauses again, looking from the foliage to Cecil and then back, as if he's thought of something. Cecil isn't sure what it could be, but he's confident it will be a good idea, whatever it is.

"…Would you… maybe like to come do some tests on the trees with me?" Carlos says, a hopeful flicker in his beautiful eyes. "You know… again?"

Cecil headtilts, a little surprised by the request. "You… want to do _more_ tests?"

By now, the expression on Carlos' face is almost furtive. "Yes," he says. "Yes… _tests_. Over there, in the trees… I mean _on_ the trees… where it would be just you and me."

Cecil's expression lights up as he catches on, and he can't stop himself grinning. "Uh… right, yes," he says, brightly. "Yes. Tests. On the trees. Over in the trees, over there. Away from everyone…"

Carlos grips his hand tighter again, and they walk off the path and across the grass, towards the copse. They head beyond the outermost trees and deeper in – past the one that had so captivated Carlos the night of their first date – until they're completely out of sight, hidden in a little clearing surrounded by dense foliage.

As soon as they are, Cecil finds himself pushed into the nearest tree by his suddenly enthusiastic (and still brilliant) scientist boyfriend. He wraps his arms around Carlos and pulls him in tighter, kissing him back as hard as he can.

"…Were you thinking about this the first evening we came here?" Cecil manages to ask, when the need for oxygen forces them to pause a moment.

"A little, yes," Carlos has to admit, though he no longer looks guilty about it. "I mean, I was still working it all out – and the buzzing shadow people were somewhat off-putting – but… yes. Yes. _Oh_ yes."

The edge to his voice is almost intoxicating now, and Cecil can't help grinning all the more. "Stop talking and kiss me," he says, knowing full-well that the edge to _his_ voice will have a very similar effect on Carlos.

It does. He's barely gotten the words out before the other man presses in for another kiss, hands stroking up and over his chest to wrap arms around his shoulders and hold on tight. The _need_ and the _want_ that he can feel make the moment even more breathless than the kissing alone, and Cecil is slightly – wonderfully – light-headed as Carlos eventually pulls back again.

"That's a little rich coming from you, though," Carlos points out, very warmly.

"What is?"

"Telling me to stop talking. You talk for a living."

"And you _love_ it," Cecil reminds him. "What was it you said about my voice on our sixth date..?"

Carlos blushes a little, evidently remembering straight away. "…That it was like liquid sex with power over time itself and subtle hints of mind control that warranted further investigation."

"Exactly."

"Exactly."

"So there."

"Yes." Carlos pauses, but only just long enough to grin again. "Now stop talking and kiss me."

"Anything for you," Cecil breathes softly against his lips – which makes Carlos shiver deliciously – and then presses in for another round of kissing. Carlos still has his arms wrapped around Cecil's shoulders, which makes it pleasingly easy for Cecil to move them both out from the tree, turn, and push Carlos against the tree instead, knowing he'll like that too.

He feels amazing, so warm and wonderful, almost melting against Cecil in response to the kissing, making a soft sound of happiness as they break apart again and then leaning in to rest his head on Cecil's shoulder.

"I could stay here with you forever," Carlos murmurs. "Right here. Just us. It's beautiful, it's quiet, and I'm pretty confident the trees won't ever try to kill us. And you. I have you."

"You have me," Cecil whispers back.

And for a long moment, they don't move; staying wrapped in each other amidst the seclusion of the trees. It really is perfect.

"Cecil?" Carlos says, eventually.

"Hm?"

"What time is our dinner reservation?"

"Seven thirty. Why, what time is it now?"

Somehow, Carlos manages to get a look at his watch without actually letting go of Cecil in the slightest. "A little after five… allegedly. Time being what it is. Or isn't. Which means we still have a good couple of hours…"

Cecil grins. "It would seem that we do. Why… do you have something in mind?"

And Carlos – beautiful, perfect, ever-so-slightly wicked Carlos – grins back. "Yes," he says. "Just a few tests…"


End file.
